Australian Stephanie Kyriacou edged a stroke ahead of Ayaka Furue and Lauren Coughlin with a birdie on the final hole in the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship.
The 23-year-old from Sydney, fired a 67 in hot and sunny conditions at Evian Resort Golf Club for a 54-hole total of 14-under-par at the fourth women’s major of the season.
The world No.100 played 19-and-a-half holes on Saturday, after the second round was suspended overnight due to thunderstorms. She completed her second round at 8am before taking a nap and then starting her third round five hours later.
The two-time Ladies European Tour winner began her third round two strokes behind Furue and the Japanese player had built a three-stroke lead after eight holes, but Kyriacou rallied on the back nine and the pair duelled for the lead, until Coughlin set the clubhouse target at 13-under with an eagle on 18 – her second of the day after another on hole nine.
Kyriacou went out in 34 after making a bogey on the first, followed by three consecutive birdies and another dropped shot on the sixth, but hit back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11, where there was a two-shot swing as Furue made her first bogey of the tournament.
Furue birdied 12 to win back her advantage, but then found the rough and made her second bogey on 13. Kyriacou birdied the long 15th, but then three-putted the short 16th. She made a tricky downhill birdie putt from seven feet on the last to take the outright lead.
Speaking after her round, Kyriacou said: “The more you play this course, the more you figure out its tips and tricks . Like, you’re never going to get a flat lie, using the slopes on the green. I’ve not been contention on the Sunday of a major before, so it’s an exciting challenge. I going to sleep well tonight, that’s for sure – it’s been a long day!”
Second round leader Furue, who is just one shot off the lead, was not satisfied with her third round 70. She said: “My shots were not that good today, but I had some huge par saves so that was kind of good for me. Steph made a lot of birdies today, and otherwise I couldn’t get any like birdie chances today. So that was a little bit frustrating.”
Pajaree Anannarukarn is three strokes further back in fourth place on 10-under-par. Ally Ewing had the round of the day – a seven-under-par 64 – and shares fifth with Hye-Jin Choi and Patty Tavatanakit.
Georgia Hall was the only English player to make the cut and is 13 strokes behind the leader in tied 21st after adding a third round 71 to earlier rounds of 69 and 67. Charley Hull shot a 79 and a 69 to miss the cut by five shots, while Surrey amateur Lottie Woad was +3 for her two rounds.